A UK government warning that Amal Clooney risks US sanctions over her role in the issuing of an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister is key among reasons the couple have sought French citizenship
The exodus from Hollywood to shores not presided over by Donald Trump has been busy and loud. Ellen DeGeneres, Robin Wright and Courtney Love moved to England; Rosie O’Donnell opted for Ireland; Eva Longoria, Spain. Other Trump critics, including Richard Gere, Lena Dunham and Ryan Gosling, have upped sticks without citing the re-election as a motivating factor.
In the case of Clooney, however, there has appeared little doubt that his decision to gain French citizenship was primarily because of Trump, whose re-election he energetically campaigned against. Yet amid the heat and headlines generated by the pair’s war of words, some of the actor’s reasons for relocating may have flown under the radar.
The Clooneys’ 170-hectare (420-acre) Provence estate, capped by an 18th-century chateau, encompasses a swimming pool, ornamental lake, lavender garden, boules pitch and olive grove. It also includes a 20-acre vineyard, planted 25 years ago by agronomist Laurence Berlemont, whose previous clients include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at Château Miraval, just 30 minutes away. Under Berlemont’s steering, the wines of Miraval have become lucrative and celebrated, with healthy international sales and rosettes from Le Guide Hachette des Vins.
